Diakhite

Decisionofthe DisputeResolutionChamber passedon25October2023 regardinganemployment-relateddisputeconcerningtheplayerIsmaelDiakhite BY: RoyVERMEER(TheNetherlands) CLAIMANT: IsmaelDiakhite,Mauritania RepresentedbyGlobalSportConsultingLawFirm RESPONDENT: ClubSportifSfaxien,Tunisia I.Factsofthecase 1.On1July2022,theMauritanianplayer,IsmaelDiakhite(hereinafter:theClaimantortheplayer)andTunisianclub,SportifSfaxien(hereinafter:theRespondentortheclub)concludedanemploymentcontract(hereinafter:thecontract)validasfromthedateofsignatureuntil30June2023. 2.Inaccordancewithclause7ofthecontract,theplayerwasentitledtothefollowing: -AmonthlysalaryofTND14,000. -AperformancebonusofuptoTND130,000,indirectproportiontothenumberofmatchestheClaimantparticipatedwiththefirstteam(i.e.,baseperformancebonus /numberoftotalmatchesinthefirstteam*numberofmatchesinwhichtheplayerparticipatedinthefirstteam). TheplayerwouldreceiveanadvancepaymentoftheperformancebonusofTND40,000atthesignatureofthecontract. -Otheradvantages:carandapartment. 3.Clause45oftheSportingregulationsoftheTunisianFootballFederation(TFF)readsasfollows: “LesystèmedelaCoupedeTunisieSENIORSpourlasaisonsportive2023/2024seracommuniquéultérieurementparleBureauFédéralavantledémarragedecettecompétition. N.B: -Alasuitedutirageausorteffectué,lesmatchsserontdésignéssurleterrainduclub"doublement"dedivisioninférieureparrapportàsonadversaireetsousréservequeleterrainduclubrecevantrépondauxdispositionsstipuléesparl'article47desRèglementsSportifs. -Danslecasoùàlasuitedutirageausort,unclubdelaligueIdoitrencontrerunautreclubappartenantàunedivisioninférieure,lematchdevantlesopposer,sedéroulerasanslaparticipationdesjoueursétrangers.” FreelytranslatedtoEnglish: “ThesystemfortheTunisianSENIORSCupforthesportsseason2023/2024willbeannouncedatalaterdatebythe“BureauFédéral”beforethestartofthecompetition. N.B: -Followingthedraw,matcheswillbeplayedonthepitchoftheclub"doubled"inalowerdivisionthanitsopponent,providedthatthepitchofthereceivingclubcomplieswiththeprovisionsofarticle47oftheSportingRegulations. -If,followingthedraw,aLeagueIclubhastoplayanotherclubinalowerdivision,thematchwillbeplayedwithouttheparticipationofforeignplayers.” 4.On14July2023,theClaimantputtheRespondentindefaultandrequestedpaymentof(i)TND71,429correspondingtheremainingpaymentofthebonusand(ii)TND70,000correspondingtothesalariesbetweenFebruaryandJune2023,settinga10days’timelimitinordertoremedythedefault.However,tonotavail. II.ProceedingsbeforeFIFA 5.On11August2023theClaimantfiledtheclaimathandbeforeFIFA.Abriefsummaryofthepositionofthepartiesisdetailedincontinuation. a.PositionoftheClaimant 6.Inhisclaim,theClaimantrequestedpaymentofhisoutstandingremunerationasfollows: -TND71,429correspondingtotheremainingbalanceoftheperformancebonusplus5 %interestp.a.asfrom1July2023untilthedateofeffectivepayment. -TND14,000correspondingtoFebruarysalaryplus5%interestp.a.asfrom1March2023untilthedateofeffectivepayment. -TND14,000correspondingtoMarchsalaryplus5%interestp.a.asfrom1April2023untilthedateofeffectivepayment. -TND14,000correspondingtoAprilsalaryplus5%interestp.a.asfrom1May2023untilthedateofeffectivepayment. -TND14,000correspondingtoMaysalaryplus5%interestp.a.asfrom1June2023untilthedateofeffectivepayment. -TND14,000correspondingtoJunesalaryplus5%interestp.a.asfrom1July2023untilthedateofeffectivepayment. b.PositionoftheRespondent 7.Initsreply,theRespondentrequestedtopartiallyrejecttheplayer’sclaim. 8.Indoingso,theRespondentstatedthatinaccordancewiththecontract,theperformancebonuswastobepaidindirectproportiontothenumberofmatchestheClaimantparticipatedwiththeteameachseason.ThementionedbonuswasfixedinaccordancewiththeregulationsoftheTunisianFederationofFootball. 9.InviewoftheforegoingtheRespondentprovidedthefollowingcalculation:(theplayerparticipatedin26matchesandthetotalnumberofmatchesoftheclubwas37matches) TND130,000*37matches/26=TND91,351 10.ConsideringthattheclubalreadypaidtheplayerTND40,000,theplayershouldbeentitledtoTND51,351(TND91,351-TND40,000)andnotTND71,429.AstothepaymentofTND40,000theclubsubmittedaninvoicesignedbytheplayer. 11.Finally,theRespondentrequestedtorejectanypenaltyfordelay. c.RejoinderoftheClaimant 12.Inhisrejoinder,theClaimantstatedtheclubparticipatedin37matches(26leaguematches;3TunisianCupmatchesincluding2matchesagainstlowerdivisionsteams;4ArabCupmatchesand4AfricanCupmatches)andthatinaccordancewithart.45oftheregulationsoftheTFF,thematchesagainsttheclubJSOmraneandSSSfaxienshouldnotbetakenintoconsideration,asforeignplayerswerenotabletoplay.Accordingly,thetotalnumberofmatchesofthefirstteamshouldbe35. 13.Theplayerfurtherindicatedthatheparticipatedin33matches(24intheleaguematches,1matchintheTunisianCup,4matchesintheAfricanCupand4matchesintheArabclub). 14.InviewoftheforegoingtheplayeramendedhisrequestforreliefandindicatedthatheshallreceiveasperformancebonusTND82,572(TND130,000/35matches*33matchesminusTND40,000). 15.Astothesalaries,hisrequestreminedunchanged. d.FinalcommentsoftheRespondent 16.TheRespondentdidnotpr